ewasstayingattheKeioPlazaHotel.”

    “Description?”

    “Ihaveherdatainfrontofme.Oerseventy.Slimwithbrowneyesandmousyblonde,almost-brown,hair.Keepsitinaponytail.QuiteprettyinthatAmeriway.Shedidn’tlookexcitedlikemosttouristsdowhentheyvisitacivilizedtryforthefirsttime.I’dsayshelookedsadandabitlost.”

    “Goodwork.Youwillberewardedthroughtheusualel.”Hirayamapressedabuttonoinyphoneandslippeditintohissuitpocket.TheministerwasstillonthephohedeepboomofhisvoicefillingthecarasitslidintoohereservedparkingslotsotheotherLexussedans.Theheavies,alldressedinblack,werealreadylinedupothecarparkexitwaitingtoushertheirmasterthrough.

    ThefactthattheBostonYakuzahadn’tfoundthesoleafterransagJoplin’ssprawlinghousehadbeebackbutthegodshadsetthingsrightwiththisthelatestpieews.MiakahashiwouldbepleasedalthoughHirayamaknewhisbosswellenoughtobelievethathewouldn’tshowit.Thingswereslowlybeingbroughtundertrol.HehadsuccessfullymaYamamoto’sill-gottenfundsuheminister’strolandtheministerhadwiredasmallfortuooneofHirayama’sownats.LoyaltyhaditsvalueandHirayama’sunflingloyaltywasbeginningtopaydividends.Yet,thetrueprizewouldbeYamamoto’spositionwithintheYamaguchi-gumihierarchy.Thatjobwasnowvatandhehopedthattheoyabunwouldseefittoelevatehimtothatposition.

    Thepositionofsaiko-komonorpersonaladviser,thoughpowerful,wasanuntenableone.Yes,hehadaccesstoinformationthatotherYakuzawouldgivetheirlivesfor,yet,trarytotradition,hehadnogangsofhisownunderhisowntrol.Itwasadeliberatestateofaffairsinstitutedbytheoyab